Destination Unknown
by cristalgrace
Summary: Bolin questions his role in the team and in life as Mako's and Korra's relationship blossoms. Set after "End Game". No real ships for now sorry! . Planning on multi-chapters. I do not own the "Legend of Korra" or its characters, just my crazy ideas. Please be nice and review-first fan fic ever.
1. Chapter 1

He felt it in the way she floated on solid ground. Her head was in the clouds, while her duties bound her to the world. With her running around in circles and seeing the renewed energy that came from Avatar Aang's visit, he sighed—expelling the anxiety that he held for her wellbeing, and inhaling the gratitude, the air—his element, in. Her laughter made the earth tremble beneath him and he inwardly smiled.

Korra had a smirk in her voice, with a hint of needing validation. "So you really love me, huh?" She asked, so close yet so far, or maybe it was the other way around. Their laughter echoed through the valley.

Contemplating the question, Bolin sighed, "Yeah, I guess I really do."

"You really do what?" Asami asked timidly, standing behind the earthbender, not bothered by the snow beneath him.

Bolin gathered his thoughts, shifted his seated body towards her, and forced his signature grin across his face, "Nothing."

Asami stepped closer to the cliff to see what Bolin was staring off into, and in a moment, stepped back, a little nauseated. "Oh."

Bolin turned back to the valley and continued looking down on his brother and his crush, while they chased each other in circles—blurring red and blue and red and blue. "What did you need, Asami?"

Taken aback by the coldness of his voice, but trying not to show the hurt, she replied, "It was getting a little boring back in compound so I went looking for you." She paused, apprehensive to whether or not to continue. The Sato heiress took a breath and carried on, "Bolin, are you planning to run away?"

Bolin lightly scoffed and threw a hand up dismissing her notion. "Psh, Asami… you and your crazy talk."

Asami crossed her arms. "I went to your room; I saw the bags."

It was Bolin's turn to return the knowing "Oh." Silence crept in, like the shadows of the nearby trees. Asami finally regained her courage to start her thought-out speech.

"Were you planning to tell us about this? What do you think you're doing? Why would you just—just—"

The young earthbender stood up to meet his interrogator face-to-face. "They're so happy. And I'm so miserable. I don't know how much longer I can smile through the hurt." He looked back at Mako and Korra, "It's not fair."

"I know it's not fair to you—"

"No. Don't you see? It's not fair to them." Bolin looked at Asami frustratingly, shredding whatever notion she had of him just being a kid having a tantrum. "He's given up _everything_ for me. The least I can do is give up her for him."

"Bo—"

"I need to at least give them a chance to see if this works out, and I can't do that if they see me moping around all the time." He took a breath still unsure whether or not to share his secret, "Korra plans to go on some 'coming of age' boating trip with her cousins tomorrow morning. Mako plans to go, too."

Asami concentrated, a little concerned as to why tears were starting to form. She looked at the boy who saved her just a few days ago, steeling her emotions, "Where do you plan on going?"

"I don't know."

"Do you need money? How will you get there? Will it be safe? How long will you be gone? Can I come with you?"

Bolin recoiled at the last question. He pouted in thought and then smiled as he generated the perfect solution. "Uh, we can go back to Republic City together, and then split up from there!"

Asami deflated at his answer. "You can just tell me if you don't want me to tag along."

Not knowing how else to assure her of his good intentions, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You have a life in Republic City. You have a family reputation that you need to restore. There's nothing for me there. I need to find myself before I can return home."

Silence struck them again, this time shadows really were creeping in. "Come on. We should head back to the compound before it gets any darker." Bolin lead the way back while Asami followed, in silence, hoping that she wouldn't have to betray his secret to make him stay.


	2. Chapter 2

They were almost halfway there without a peep between the two of them. However, Asami's curiosity got the best of her, "How can you just give up like that?!" Anger spewed from her veins to her mouth. "How can you think that she's better with him than she is with you? That he's—", her voice choked, "better with her than he is with me." The emotions were too much and her legs gave out, Bolin quickly came to her aide before she hit the ground.

They stood in silence, Bolin arms still wrapped around the heiress, both in awkward stance. He moved her to the closest log situated along the road, brushing the snow away before he sat her down. Asami looked away, covertly drying the tears that managed to escape. Bolin spoke first, "Maybe we should rest before we continue. I didn't realize how far we were from the compound."

Yes. It was the physical distance that made Asami weak, she thought to herself. It wasn't the distance between her broken heart plastered on the Republic City roads and the man she longed for. It wasn't the distance between the cold tundra and whatever was left of home. No. She had grown in these past few weeks. Tears were merely the childhood she once knew. For now, she wasn't ready to admit its loss. "I'm sorry."

Bolin smiled at her and sat on the log, "About what?" Silence, again, crept up behind them, but they began to notice that it was no longer cold—it was the unspoken that bonded them. He sighed, slightly nudging the heiress, "It's not about what's better; it's about what's needed." Asami turned her head at the sound of the riddle escaping Bolin's mouth. As if her confusion showed on her face, Bolin continued, "Growing up, I never went against Mako's ideas. He was the older brother—he knew best. And most of her life, Korra's never had her ideas challenged. Now they have each other to challenge." Almost sensing a rebuttal, Bolin continued, "I'm not saying I'm happy about it. And I don't intend to just give up. But right now Mako needs Korra more than I do, and Korra needs Mako more than I do. And I need to see what I can do without my brother's help."

Asami mentally kicked herself. In the short time that they were together, she never went against Mako's ideas, either. There were times when she suggested things and he would concede, but most of the time he was the leader and she was the follower. A twinge of guilt flashed when Bolin spoke. Not only was Bolin losing the girl that he liked to his brother, but he was also losing the only known parent he's had to Korra. In a sense, they were both freshly orphaned.

"I'll make you a deal."

Bolin scoffed. "There's no deal to be made. I've made up my mind."

"I know. But you need me to keep your secret." The girl said, smirk evident with a hand on her chin.

The earthbender's eyes widened at the wiliness of his companion and spoke with a carried whisper, "You wouldn't…"

"Mako would go crazy if you just disappeared into the wilderness! You at least have to tell him what nation you plan to be in. Plus, if Mako knew we were looking out for each other, he would worry less."

He pouted in thought. "I do like him worrying less about me. But how can I prove that I can make it on my own with you helping me?"

"That's the point! You don't have to make it on your own. You will always have people who care enough about you to help you along your journey. Avatar Aang didn't end the Hundred Year War by himself. He had his friends to help him—and from what I remember reading, he didn't want them to help him either!"

"What's in it for you?"

Other than not having to see the lovey-dovey scenes between her former flame and the Avatar, she didn't know. "Oh, well. You know. I've spent most of my life in Republic City. So, before I begin restoring the Sato reputation, I wanted to travel the world. See how other people live, see what Future Industries can do to help better their way of life, see if there are up-and-coming technologies that we can advance on. Maybe visit with General Iroh—"

"So that's your reason!" Bolin looked at her slyly.

Asami couldn't help but smile. "I wanted to see if he was interested—"

"Oh, he probably is—"

"In a joint partnership—", at that, the earthbender couldn't help but gasp and point an accusing finger at her. Asami doubled over in laughter.

Bolin spoke above her laughter, "We can definitely visit General Iroh if you want. Maybe we can travel on his ship!"

Regaining her composure, "I want to ask him if the United Forces are willing to go into a joint partnership with Future Industries, like a defense contract. I figure I'll need all the business I can get and working directly with the army would put the Sato name in a positive light."

"The general did enjoy himself with those fighter planes." Bolin was already warming up to the idea of having a friend along his journey. "I guess in your travels, you probably would want someone who's the buffest, baddest earthbender around, _just_ in case you need it."

She laughed again. "That's all I ask." She had an inkling that this trip would bode well for both of them. "So, no secrets and we can tell the others at dinner?" She stood up as did her companion.

"Hmmm. No. I think we should keep it to ourselves for now." They started walking back to the compound. "Mako would try to stop me from going. We should let them leave for their trip first, and then leave for ours afterwards."

She patted the boy's shoulder, "Thinking like your own man already."

They walked back to the compound hand-in-hand, when they saw Lin unceremoniously leaning on the corner of the building. The firebender instinctively slipped his hand away from Korra's, but placed his hand on the small of her back as recompense. Korra shot him her rare dagger eyes (at least more recently they were rare for him), but all he could do was sheepishly shrug. He wasn't ready for everyone to poke and prod at the new development of their relationship, particularly from the woman who so strangely gave him a proposition two nights ago.

"Kid," Lin Beifong stated nonchalantly, "I was wondering if you gave it more thought?"

The Avatar laughed. "Sorry, Lin. He's taken."

Mako coughed uncomfortably. "Korra, I'll meet you inside."

"No. I'd rather she hear this, too. Maybe she can add some sense as to why you wouldn't want to take on a nice stable job." Korra looked at the former chief and then to her boyfriend, a little confused to what was going on.

Frustration found its way to his voice. "I don't know what you want from me. I mean, I'm not a metalbender and I grew up on the streets."

Trying not to lose her patience, Lin infused a softer tone than what they were all used to, "And the same instincts that helped you survived the streets will be the same instincts you'll need when you're protecting them."

"And what about my brother?" He knew that Bolin would be crushed if Mako was chosen for something and he wasn't.

"When he can make sound decisions without you whispering in his ear, I'll look into it."

That was it. "Look! Bolin—"

Lin cut him off. "Wouldn't have survived without you around. And I couldn't care less that you're an orphan and not an earthbender." The chief's expression softened, "My father was an orphan and a non-bender, and he helped my mother build the force—even helped fashioned the helmets." She said too much. Lin shook her head to relieve her of her reminiscing. "My mother taught me to rely on people with instincts—and you have them." She spoke with her normal coolness, "If and/or when your brother is ready, we'll make sure to see if he's interested in the force."

Mako looked at Korra, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Korra smiled, and placed a hand on his shoulder. She turned to the chief, "He'll take it." He responded by placing his hand over hers.

"If in two weeks you agree with your girlfriend, meet me at the precinct at 9am sharp." Lin shot a quick smirk at Korra then entered the building.

"You would make a good cop, Mako."

"I know." He did know, but he felt uneasy about it.

"And it beats that job at the factory."

"I know." The job did offer more money and stability that he and his brother were used to.

"You're happy, right?"

"Yeah." He didn't want to jinx it, but it was constantly on his mind, "But things can change in an instant. I don't want to lose it all. I don't want to lose you."

It was inappropriate, but she giggled. "Hey," she gently caressed his chin so his attention was on her, "Whatever job you take, wherever your destiny takes you, you will always be a protector, city boy. Lin sees that in you, and I see it, too—check it out before you shut her down."

"Okay." The young man relaxed. _She_ made him relax. It was the first time that he was with a girl who understood the gravity of taking care of someone, or in her case, the world.

Korra smiled, grabbed her boyfriend's hand and pulled him towards the compound. Mako, however, stayed rooted. "Mako! We haven't eaten since breakfast and I smell Master Katara's sea prunes! What's the hold up?"

He wanted to protect his baby brother just a little longer. "Can we not tell Bolin yet? Until after the trip?…"

She pouted in thought. "Okay. I'll keep my mouth shut. But maybe you should've told Lin that."

With the quickness, Mako pulled Korra into the building to find Lin Beifong, echoes of the Avatar's laughter running through the empty halls.


End file.
